4 of the worst social media fails of all time

By Felicia Guthrie

We all know social media can be an amazing tool that connects us to each other and to brands – and it can really do great things for your brand. While you can certainly take a cue from major brands on what to do on social media, in some cases, you can also learn what NOT to do from them.

Let’s take a look at 4 of the worst social media fails of all time and what you can learn from them.

SNAPCHAT ADVERTISER MAKES A JOKE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

In 2018, Snapchat users were shocked and appalled to see an ad for the game “Would you rather?” with the question, “Would you rather slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown?” This was especially distasteful, hurtful, and disgusting, because Rihanna was assaulted by Chris Brown in 2009 when the two were dating. Many users spoke out about the ad and even Rihanna herself called out Snapchat for letting the ad be published. Rihanna expressed what many other users had as well, that the ad made a joke of domestic violence.

Snapchat removed the ad saying it violated their guidelines, apologized, and banned the “Would you rather?” app from advertising on Snapchat, but the damage was already done and after Rihanna criticized the app, it lost hundreds of millions of dollars overnight.

What you can learn from this: If you’re going to let a third party advertise or post on your website, have a reviewing process in place. In addition to that, it is never ok to make a joke of a serious issue that can be triggering for so many.

TOO FACED CO-FOUNDER’S BIRTHDAY MISTAKE

This is a bit of a unique example, because it wasn’t something posted by a brand, instead this social media fail was actually done by the Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of the brand. In 2018, Too Faced cosmetics Co-Founder and CCO Jarrod Blandino posted images from his partner’s birthday celebration, which would be sweet, had they not included a cake with the writing, “Rich Lives Matter.” Yeah, that’s right. Followers (and non-followers) alike were quick to call Blandino out for the cake which made a mockery of the Black Lives Matter movement. The backlash also led to people not only trashing the person behind the brand, but the brand itself as well.

What you can learn from this: When you put yourself out there as the owner of a brand, it’s important to remember that you are the face of the brand. As with the Snapchat example, do not make a mockery out of an important issue.

DOVE’S RACIST SOCIAL MEDIA ADS

There have been many times where Dove gets it right and you’ve probably seen some terrific and heartfelt ads from their Real Beauty campaign, but again, even the brands that usually get it right, can sometimes get it wrong.

In 2017, Dove ran a Facebook ad for their body wash which featured a Black woman who takes off her dark-coloured shirt to reveal a white woman with a light-coloured shirt. Obviously, many social media users found the ad insensitive and racist. Dove removed the ad, apologized, and said they “missed the mark” but many were already calling to boycott the brand.

What you can learn from this: Diversity and inclusion are so important. While some businesses start and remain very small (say 1-3 people) it’s important as you grow to ensure that your team is not only qualified, but also diverse and not just at the lowest level – at all levels. Having an inclusive team can benefit your company in so many ways and this ad is a perfect example of why diversity is important.

ADIDAS’BOSTON MARATHON EMAIL CAMPAIGN

DISHONORABLE MENTION (NOT TECHNICALLY A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, BUT IT’S DIGITAL AND DESERVES A MENTION)

The Boston Marathon is one of the largest and most famous marathons in the world, so it comes as no surprise that major players in the sportswear industry, like Adidas, would want to sponsor the event.

In 2017, Adidas emailed participants of the Boston Marathon an email with the subject heading, “Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon!

”You’ll remember, in 2013, the Boston Marathon was the site of a domestic terrorist attack which killed three people and injured over 250 people. It’s obvious that this was a terrible choice of words and digital marketing campaign from Adidas and why they received so much backlash on social media for it. Yes, this isn’t technically a social media campaign, but it deserved a spot on the list.

What you can learn from this: It’s so important to choose your words carefully for all marketing communication and make sure you are up-to-date with current and past events. This is also another example where some careful reviewing may have stopped such an insensitive mistake. 

Afraid of committing a marketing fail? Want to avoid doing so? Make sure you’ve read our other blogs covering the worst marketing fails of all time. Good luck!